Corn-planter.



No. 653,923. Patented July I7, |900.v

L. E. WATERMAN.

CORN PLANTEH.

(Applcaton filed Nov. 18, 1899.-]

(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet nu m. n A "mlm lfllllll MM M7 No. 653,923. Patented July I7, |900. L. E. WATERMAN.

CORN PLANTEB.

(Application filed Nov.=18, 1699.) (Nn Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet 2.

Patented luly I7, :900. L. E. WATERMAN.

crm PLANTER.

(Application filed Nov. 1B, 1899A 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

e r e giur' wAsHiN N'rsn STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

LEWIS E. WATERMAN, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR T O THE DEERE n MANSUR COMPANY, OF SAME PLAGE.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No., 653,923, dated July 17, 1900.

Application filed November 18,1899. Serial No. 737,505. (No modeL] To @ZZ whom, it nutg/ concern:

Beit known that I, LEWIS E. WATERMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing` at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Plan ters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in the main to that type of planter exemplified in Letters Patent No. 601,342, granted March 29, 1898, toIVilson P. Hunt and Charles P. A. Friberg, in which the wheels are arranged in pairs on the bent ends of a divided axle and means are provided for rocking said axle to change the angle of divergence of the wheels relatively to the ground. In the machine shown in said patent the inner ends of the bent spindles upon which the wheels are mounted are secured in clamp-plates depending from and rigid with a rock-shaft mounted in hangers from the side bars of the rear frame or back of the planter, and a lever secured to this rock-shaft and engaging with a suitable rack serves to move it, and thereby rock the spindles. The inner wheel of each pair is also secured on its spindle between a butting ring or collar fixed at the bend of said spindle and an inside butting ring confined to the spindle by a pin or key. The seatstandard is supported partly upon the rocka shaft and partly upon a transverse frame-bar immediately in rear thereof, and the adjusting-lever for the front frame is pivoted on said rock-shaft, so as to get free space for the play of the auxiliary treadle or foot-lever rigidly connected thereto, which play would be obstructed by the shaft itself were said pivot located in front thereof, this arrangement resulting in bringing the treadle immediately beneath the seat in a disadvantageous position for use.

In my invention, so far as it relates to the above features, the rock-shaft and the transverse frame-bar immediately in rear thereof are dispensed with, and the inner ends of the bent spindles are extended toward the center of the machine and united together by a rigid clamp, such as a reversely-bent split sleeve and bolts passing therethrough. The practically continuous axle thus formed is suspended from the lateral frame-bars by hangers pivoted to said bars, and the collars at the lower ends of these hangers, in which the spindles are received and to which they are bolted, serve or may serve as the inside but ting rings for the inner wheels. The seatstandard is secured to a transverse frame-bar considerably in advance of the axle and given the requisite slope to bring the seat sulficiently in rear thereof, and the adjusting-lever for the front frame is pivoted near the base of this standard in such manner as to bring its attached treadle over the greatest dip of the axle, thereby assuring full space for its play. Y

My invention further consists in providing the rigidly-attached treadle-arm of the adjusting-lever with a latch-pedal pivoted thereto and link connected with the handlatch of said adjusting-lever, whereby the ad justing-lever may be operated by the foot alone as one integral structure, in novel apparatus for operating the droppers for planting short rows or finishing out where the check-row wire cannot well be used, and in various other features and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is atop plan View of a machine embodying my invention, the seat being partly broken away to expose the wire-reel beneath. Fig. 2 is a detached View in top plan and partly diagrammatic, embracing the rear frame 0r back, the bent axle, and the lever for rocking said axle. section through said frame on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, comprising only the parts shown in Fig. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation taken on the section-line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail of the split-sleeve connection for the in ner ends of the bent spindles. Fig. Gis a longitudinal section through the machine to the right of the draft-tongue and adjacent thereto, the carrying-wheels being omitted. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the apparatus for operating the droppers by foot-power, and Fig. 8 a top plan view thereof.

Referring now to said drawings, A repre+ sents any suitable wheel or rear frame. Herein it is shown as composed of two lateral frame-bars a, united integrally at the extreme Fig. Sis a IOO rear by a transverse bar a', and toward the front connected and braced bya second transverse bar a2, bolted to each lateral bar. A

A represents the axle generally; A2, the inner and A3 the outer wheels of each pair, mounted on said axle; A*,a scraper-shaft,with scrapers a3 and operating-treadle c", and A5 a reel mounted on the rear part of the frame and driven by chain belt 60" from sprocketgear d on one of the inner wheels for taking up the check-row line.

The lateral bars of the rear or back frame are hinged at their extreme front ends to brackets b,projecting from the rear transverse bar b of the forward or runner frame, composed, in addition to this bar, of the front transverse bar b2 and carrying the seedboxes B, runners or furrow-openers B', check-row heads B2, with hinged doffers B2, and operat ing-gear for the seeding devices. The usual draft-tongue B4 is secured between brackets b4 on the front transverse bar of this forward frame and extends rearwardly over the rear bar, to which it is also xed, and beneath the rear frame for connection with the lifting apparatus, as presently explained.

The axle A is composed of the bent spindles C and the reversely-bent split sleeve C', in which the inner ends of these spindles are received and wherein they are removably secured. Simple means to the latter end consist in the slotted bosses c on the sides of the sleeve, receiving bolts c,which pass through holes c2 in the extremities of the spindles. The series of perforations in the spindles C and the slots in the bosses permit lengthwise adjustment of considerable latitude and may be utilized for the employment of a plurality of bolts if for any reason a particularly-rigid connection is desired.

D represents hangers pivoted to the lateral frame-bars a, considerably in rear of the transverse bars CL2 and having oblique sleeves or collars d at their lower ends, through which the inner reaches of the bent spindles are passed and secured by bolts d', so that they may swing with said hangers, but cannot turn therein. The inner wheel of each pair is located between these hangers and the fixed butting rings d2 d2 at the bends of the spindles, which latter rings do `not or need not differ materially from their prototypes in the aforementioned patent. It will of course be understood that when the axle is adjusted outwardly there must be an inner butting ring provided to follow the wheel,as the hanger must remain stationary relative to the frame. Rigidly affixed to or integral with one of the hangers D is a lever D', provided with handlatch d4, which takes into the segment-rack D2,secured to the correspondinglateral framebar.' By means of this lever the axle is rocked or swung and adjusted to change the inclination of the wheels relatively to the ground, the central sleeve describing the arc of a cirele in such adjustment.

Secured to the forward transverse framebar CL2 at its median point is the seat-standard E, extending upwardly and rearwardly, as shown, and carrying the seat E in a position sufficiently in the rear of the axle to properly balance the machine and at the same time bring the driver within convenient reach of the axle-adj usting lever. Inclined brace-bars E2, springing from the two lateral frame-bars a, support the rear end of the seat-standard.

E3 is the lifting-lever, spanning the seatstandard and a segment-rack e, secured thereto, and pivoted to said standard at the axis of the rack. Directly in rear of the standard the lifting-lever is extended into a rigid or integral treadle or foot-lever E4, having a broad tread e, extending to both sides of the standard, so that it may be operated by either foot. The rear end of this treadle is directly over the center of the axle or the point of its greatest dip. Therefore it will have sufficient space for play and will not be interfered with by the axle when depressed.

Heretofore an independently-pivoted footlever has been connected with the hand lifting-lever in such manner that the initial depressionof the former released the latch of said hand lifting-lever and the further depression operated the two as one instrumentality. Itis desirable, however, that the f0otlever should be rigidly connected with theV hand lifting-lever, as in the present instance,

so that the operators foot may assist his hand in operating the lever, and yet the hand lifting-lever may be unlocked and operated by the foot alone. Therefore I pivot to the body of the foot-lever, as at e2, what may be termed a latch-pedal E5, the rear arm of which extends over the outer part of the tread of the foot-lever,while the front arm is connected by link e3 with the hand-latch E6 of the lifting-lever. Thus the foot-lever may be used as a rest without danger of releasing the hand lifting-lever; but by a slight movement the latch-pedal may be depressed until it contacts with the tread of the foot-lever, unlocking the hand lifting-lever through its link connection, and thereafter the foot-lever will be pushed down by the continued pressure of the foot, and the lifting devices be thus operated by the foot alone.

A spur e4 from the hand lifting-lever in advance of its pivot is connected with a plate 0r heel extension e5 from the rear end of the draft-tongue by link e6, which plays through said extension, but is prevented from withdrawal by a key or cotter e7'through its lower end. A coiled expansion-spring e8 encircles this link between said heel extension and a collar e9, pinned to its shaft adjacent to the hand lifting-lever. Thus the rocking of the lever, whether caused by hand or foot, will draw upon the link and raise the front of the machine; but when the lever is locked there will be an elasticallyryielding connection between the front and rear frames, holding the forward frame better to the ground.

Upon the forward frame is a transverse IOO IIO

operating-shaft F, adapted to be rotated continuously when the machine is used as a drill, but intended to be rotated intermittently by the check-line levers when used as a dropper'. It is often necessary in dropping seed that the driver should be able to operate this shaft irrespective of said levers, as in planting short rows or iinishingout at the end of rows where the check-row wire cannot well be used. In order to save the time and avoid the labor and nicety of adjustment involved in fitting apparatus for this purpose to the shaft each time the change is made from drilling to dropping, I mount permanently upon the shaft a suitable engagementwheel, advisably a narrow lantern-wheel F, which is keyed to said shaft and revolves therewith.

G is a bell-crank foot-lever pivoted to the bracket G', rising from the heel of the drafttongue, and having a tread g, projecting laterally from the end of the upper horizontallytrending arm, and a second tread g', extending from the lower pendent arm short of its extremity. To the distal end ot1 this lower armis pivoted the rack or pawl bar H, forked at its front extremity to aiord an upper prong H', overlying the lantern-wheel, and a lower laterally-curved prong H2, which passes beneath the shaft F and comes alongside the lantern-wheel to serve as a keeper. The u pper prong has a depending tooth h, that is supported and prevented from falling in be-v tween the rungs, which are somewhat-widely spaced, by a rider h' at the free end of the prong, which rests upon the cheeks of the wheel. A strong spring K, secured at one end to the draft-tongue or other suitable fixed support and at the other to the pawl, as shown, serves to draw the latter back into the position ot' rest, as represented in Fig. 7, or until its shank strikes the projecting tread g and is stopped thereby.

' Now, supposing the machine to be in use as a dropper, if it becomes necessary for the driver to operate the dropping mechanism, he depresses the power-arm of the bell-crank by placing his foot upon the tread g, thus forcing the pawl-bar outward, bringing the tooth h against the adjacent rung 7e of the lantern-wheel, and pushing thelatteraround, as if it were the end of a crank-arm from the shaft F, until the next rung strikes the pawl H at a point and locks the mechanism against further movement in that direction, thereby rotating the latter in the direction adapted to actuate the dropping mechanism. The bell-crank being immediately released, the springK will retract the pawl-bar, drawing it back ready for the next actuation of the lever.

Should it be necessary to change the machine to work as a` drill, the pawl-arm may be readily unshipped from the lantern-wheel by simply lifting its free end sutciently to disengage its teeth from between the cheeks thereof, when it may be swung toward the side represented by its lower prong and let down until the upper prong rests upon the shaft F, or it may be disconnected entirely by removing the pivot-bolt of the foot-lever and unhooking the spring. In again changing to a dropper it is evident that it will be immaterial which one of the rungs of the lantern-wheel is presented for engagement with the pawl. The iirst or nearest one to hand will serve equally well with any other. Therefore there need be no delay in adjusting, but the parts can be assembled at once.

It is evident that a rotary element other than a pin or lantern wheel may be employed in this apparatus provided that it is of such nature as to be intermittently rotated bya pawl-bar and that the construction of the pawl-bar may be somewhat modified Without departing from the principle of my invention so far as it relates to this feature.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In a rocking axle ofthe nature described, the combination of the bent wheel-spindles and a rigid yoke directly and removably uniting the inner ends of said spindles together, substantially as described.

2. In a rocking aXle ofthe nature described, the combination of the bent Wheel-spindles, a split-sleeve connection directly and rigidly uniting the inner ends of said spindles together, and hangers or clips rigidly attached to spindles and pivotally connected to frame, substantially as described.

3. In a rocking axle of the nature described, the combination of the bent wheel-spindles and the reversely-bent clamp rigidly uniting the inner ends of said spindles, substantially as described.

4. In a rocking axle ofthe nature described, the combination of the bent wheel-spindles, the reversely-bent sleeve embracing and connecting the inner ends of said spindles, and means for clamping the parts together, substantially as described.v

5. In a rocking axle of the nature described, the combination of the bent wheel-spindles, the split-sleeve connection embracing and directly uniting the inner ends of the spindles and having a slot throughits walls, and bolts passing through said slot and the ends of the spindles, substantially as described.

6. In arocking axle of the nature described, the combination of the bent wheel-spindles having bolt-holes through their inner ends, the split-sleeve connection embracing and directly and rigidly uniting the inner ends of the spindles, and having a slot coinciding with said bolt-holes,and bolts passing through said slots and holes, substantially as described.

7. In a rocking axle of the nature described, the combination of the bent wheel-spindles,

the reversely-bent split sleeve embracing and IOO IIO

connecting the inner ends of said spindles and having a plurality of holes through its Walls, and bolts passing through said holes and the inclosed ends of the spindles, substantially as described.

S. In a rocking axle of the nature described, the combination of the bent wheel-spindles having bolt-holes through their inner ends, the reversely-bent split sleeve receiving and directly connecting said inner ends and having longitudinal se'ries of holes coinciding with said bolt-holes,and bolts passing through said holes and detachablyclamping the parts together, substantially as described.

9. In a machine ofthe nature described, the combination with an axle comprising bent wheel-spindles rigidly coupled together at their inner ends, of hangers rigidly attached to spindles and independently pivoted to the side bars of the frame, a lever rigid with one of said hangers, and means for locking said lever in any desired position, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the axle com prising bent wheel-spindles rigidly coupled together at their inner ends, of butting rings or sleeves for the inner wheels, rigidly and detachably aiiixed to said spindles, hangers independently pivoted to overhead frame, a lever rigid with one of said hangers, whereby the axle may be rocked, and a rack upon the frame into which said lever latches, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the back frame, of the hangers independently pivoted thereto, the lever rigidly aiiixed to one of said hangers, and the rack into which it latches, the buttin g sleeves rigidly carried by said hangers, the bent spindles rigidly and removably borne by said sleeves,the reversely-bent split couplingsleeve receiving the inner ends of said spindles, and the bolts uniting said sleeve and spindles, substantially as described.

12. The combination with the rocking axle having bent spindles and dipped at its center, of the foot-lever for lifting the forward frame, pivoted in advance of said axle and overlying the dip therein, substantially as described.

13. The combination with the rocking axle having bent spindles and dipped at its center, of the hand-controlled lifting-lever for the forward frame, pivoted in advance of the axle, and the treadle cooperating with said handlever and projecting rearwardly over the dip in said axle, substantially as described.

1i. The combination with the rocking axle having bent spindles and dipped at its center,

trolled lifting-lever and its hand-latch and v rack, of the foot-lever rigid therewith and having a laterally-extended tread, and the foot-latch pivoted to said foot-lever, extending above the tread thereof and link-connected with said hand-latch, substantially as described.

17. The combination with the operatingshaft, of an engagement-wheel fixed thereon, a rack or pawl bar for intermittently rotating said wheel, a foot-lever for moving said bar in one direction, and a retractingspring for returning it in the opposite direction, substantially as described;r

18. The combination with the operatingshaft, of a lantern-wheel xed thereon, a single-toothed rack or pawl bar for engagement with the rungs thereof, a bell-crank footlever for operating said pawl-bar in one direction, a retracting-'spring for returning it in the opposite direction, and a stop on the lever to limit the return by contact with said bar, substantially as described.

19. The combination with the operatingshaft, of a lantern-wheel fixed thereon, the two-pronged rack or pawl bar, the upper prong of which rides upon the cheeks of the wheel and has an engaging tooth and the lower prong serving as a keeper,and the retracting-spring, substantially as described.

LEWIS E. WATERMAN.

Vitnesses:

DAvID A. SCHULER, D. A. GAMBLE. 

